By Lian Cheng
JULAU, Nov 17: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has called for differences to be set aside so that the coalition will win in P209 Julau.
He said when State matters are concerned, one should not be affected by personal feelings.
“When Pehin Sri Tun (Abdul) Taib Mahmud resigned, he chose (Pehin Sri) Adenan Satem to be successor while Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and I were both deputy presidents. For the sake of Sarawak, for the sake of the people, we gave way. We supported Adenan to be the Chief Minister.
“We set personal matters aside first. Let us do the same here (in Julau). If we win in other constituencies but we lose Julau, what does it mean? It means Julau is split.
“If Julau is split, how can we build the waterfront, because it will also be split. When we build the dewan (multipurpose hall which Meluan assemblyman Rolland Duat Jubin requested to be built in Julau), and the pillars are not strong, the hall will collapse.
“Because we are one, we set aside our differences. People are more important than the individual. Abang Johari is not important, I am not important. It is Sarawak that is important,” said Abang Johari when giving a speech during a “Meet the People” session held in Julau today.
Abang Johari who is also the Sarawak Premier did not disclose the reason for him making these remarks. But rumours have been rife that Duat as well as Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom have not been supportive of former Julau MP Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum’s candidacy for Julau.
When asked at the press conference after the event, whether the “internal conflict” within GPS was resolved, Abang Johari said he had no knowledge of it.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari pointed out that in this 15th General Election (GE15), GPS is contesting in all 31 federal seats in Sarawak, with the hope of winning them all to send a strong voice to Parliament.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the voice of one person, pointing out that there are parties contesting only for one seat in Sarawak, without naming any party. However, it was quite obvious that he was referring to incumbent Julau MP Datuk Larry Sng whose party Parti Bangsa Malaysia is only contesting in Julau, which Sng is defending.
Rallying for Salang, Abang Johari said Salang “has been absent, having his sabbatical” and he is now GPS’ chosen candidate and the ruling State coalition will help to build up Julau if he is elected.
Abang Johari said for the past four years, Duat and Mawan have been crippled while serving Meluan and Pakan, the two State constituencies which make up Julau, as they have been operating with “one leg” following Julau falling into the hands of an elected representative who is not from GPS.
“We want two legs of equal strength. So the other leg will be Joseph Salang, which will be a strong one,” said Abang Johari.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari also explained why Sarawak’s ruling coalition left Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2018.
“We left BN for a reason — we learnt. In BN, there were 14 parties, and when we were making a decision, it must be a consensus.
“We wanted MA63 (the realisation of Malaysia Agreement 1963) and there were 14 parties. We learnt that our voice was very small. So in 2018, we got out of BN, and formed our own coalition — GPS. And that is why we now can decide who should be the prime minster.
“Now, we are having an election, we must send our voice which is strong, to Putrajaya.
“Whoever wants to take charge of the Malaysia government, they have to listen to us, the Sarawakians and what we want is for MA63 to be fully recognised,” said Abang Johari.
After the event, Salang told DayakDaily that he appreciated Duat’s speech. — DayakDaily
